Comey defends FBI use of alleged Trump campaign informant

Former FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday weighed in for initially on reports of an informant investigating President Donald Trump’s campaign, saying in which lies along with attacks on the law enforcement agency “will do lasting damage to our country.”

In a pair of tweets, Comey defended the use of confidential human sources — “the actual term,” he said — as being “essential to protecting the country.”

Comey then went on the offensive, suggesting in which Republicans in positions of political leadership were attacking the FBI dishonestly.

“How will Republicans explain This kind of to their grandchildren?” he asked.

Comey tweet 1

Comey tweet 2

Comey, who was fired by Trump in May 2017, did not mention the president by name inside Wednesday morning tweets. although Comey’s statements came shortly after Trump, also on Twitter, decried “SPYGATE” as potentially being “one of the biggest political scandals in history!”

Trump tweet

The Wednesday morning diatribe was not initially Trump spoke out about the alleged informant, who reportedly interviewed multiple Trump campaign associates as part of the FBI’s probe of Russian meddling inside 2016 presidential election.

In a Friday tweet, Trump claimed, without providing evidence, in which “at least one FBI representative” had been “implanted, for political purposes,” in his campaign. A brand new York Times report published later in which day said there was no available evidence to suggest in which the informant had been “implanted,” or in which the person’s work was politically motivated.

On Sunday, Trump took action against the alleged use of an informant, demanding in which the Justice Department investigate whether his campaign had been “infiltrated or surveilled” for “Political Purposes.”

trump tweet

The Justice Department appeared to comply with the request, announcing Sunday evening in which its internal watchdog would certainly investigate the matter as part of a broader probe surrounding Trump’s campaign.

Speaking to reporters inside Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said in which “if they had spies in my campaign, in which would certainly be a disgrace to This kind of country,” along with in which the item “would certainly probably make every political event ever look like tiny potatoes.”

Comey wrote extensive notes after his interactions with Trump before his departure coming from the FBI. He also recounted his experiences with the president in detail in his recently released memoir, along with has criticized the president in subsequent media appearances.